With continuous improvement of human quality of life and increased understanding of information security, authenticating devices and related authenticating methods have been widely used in various aspects of the lives of mobile device users. In many societies, almost every person currently owns at least one mobile phone or tablet computer, and in these devices, use of authenticating methods may often be found. This is a specific utilization of authentication apparatuses. In each mobile device, a display screen based on touch-feedback principles is generally provided. The most convenient mobile device authentication methods may include slide-unlock, face-unlock, unlock by drawing a particular pattern in a nine-location grid, and the like, all of which are publicly well-known. All these authentication methods suffer from some drawbacks. For example, slide-unlock may be easily seen by others; face-unlock may be circumvented by use of a static image; and unlock by drawing a particular pattern in a nine-location grid is a variation of a typing nine digits on a numerical keyboard, so the unlock pattern may also be easily seen by others and copied. These prior art authenticating methods used in mobile devices all lack sufficient safety and security, so they are susceptible to being circumvented by an individual spying on a user during unlocking of a device.
Earlier authentication methods were mostly performed mechanically. For instance, a combination lock extensively seen in connection with various types of bags and suitcases is one kind of mechanical authenticating device. This kind of mechanical authentication device similarly suffers from the well-known disadvantages described above, and as a result, electronic authentication devices will gradually replace mechanical authentication devices. As such, password authentication may be applied not only in various electronic mobile devices, but also in other situations where password verification is necessary. For example, various kinds of travel bags and suitcases may use electronic verification methods in their lock mechanisms. In another example, consumer electronics such as smart TVs, routers capable of interacting with humans, or central control devices may use the above-noted electronic verification methods in their user verification procedures. In a further example, the above-noted authentication methods may also be applied in access control systems, electronic locks of a vending machine, a strongbox, or an automobile access gate. Electronic verification methods may even be used in new products that may be developed in the future that may require password user verification. Electronic authenticating devices are so important that they will likely have great influence on various aspects of human life. Accordingly, it is desired to provide improved authenticating devices and corresponding authenticating methods in pursuit of increasingly higher levels of device security.
However, as described above, although authenticating devices are very important, currently available authenticating methods are not very secure. During industrial design processes, designers should consider not only product performance and security as discussed above, but also production cost and convenience. Therefore, how to balance these factors has become a driving force to continuously improve authenticating techniques, which have gradually been improved.